The Trojan War

I. The Wedding

A. King Peleus and nymph Thetis1. Eris (evil) is not invited2. She crashes with a golden apple3. Three goddesses claim it:

a. Herab. Athenac. Aphrodite

4. Zeus asked to judge: no way, Jose!5. Sends them to Mt. Ida for Paris to

judge

Eris and the Apple of Discord

B. The Judgment of Paris1. Prince of Troy, Priam’s son2. Yet again, a prophecy of destruction3. Paris lives with nymph, Oenone4. The 3 goddesses arrive and offer bribes

a. Athena:b. Hera:c. Aphrodite:

5. Paris is weak and a coward: he chooses……?

Paris Has to Choose

The Judgment of Paris

C. The Capture of Helen1. Helen is the most beautiful

a. Daughter of Zeus and Leda; sister of Castor and Polluxb. So beautiful Theseus tried to kidnap her as a childc. Every prince in Greece wanted her – why??d. Her “dad,” King Tyndareus of Sparta, comes up with a plane. Suitors, unite!f. Menelaus is chosen

2. Paris goes to visit Sparta…a. Laws of hospitalityb. Menelaus trusts Paris, but…….c. Paris runs away with Helen

3. A note on Aphrodite: she is angry with Tyndareus for forgetting (on ONE occasion) to sacrifice to her. Her curse: his daughters would be famous w****s. Where have we seen this before??

The Marriage/Kidnapping of Helen

Helen of Sparta

II. Preparations for WarA. All but two: 1. Odysseus, King of Ithaca

a. doesn’t want to leave his familyb. Pretends to be crazyc. Palemedes puts Odysseus’s son in the plow’s

wayd. Odysseus turns the plow, proving he’s sanee. It’s off to the army for him!

2. Achillesa. Mama knows he’ll die if he goes to Troyb. Thetis hides him at the court of Lycomedes,

disguising him as a girlc. Odysseus is sent to find him: he’s so cleverd. Weapons are for boys…e. Achilles is revealedf. It’s off to the army for him too!

Odysseus and Achilles

B. 1,000 ships set out for war C. Trouble at Aulis

1. Artemis is super mad2. Must sacrifice Iphigenia3. Agamemnon reluctantly agreesa. Fake wedding to Achillesb. Iphigenia arrives with her wedding clothes and is killedc. Clytemnestra holds a long grudge4. Wind stops, ships sail

“”Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?” Christopher Marlowe

Iphigenia at Aulis

III. The WarA. Royal Family of Troy

1. King: Priama. oldb. has 50 sons2. Queen: Hecuba (not the mother of all 50 sons, just 17 or so)3. Paris (we’ve met him; we’re not impressed)4. Hector (now we’re impressed)a. the greatest warrior in Troyb. Priam’s noblest sonc. The only prince of Troy NOT to develop the hots for Helend. The only one to be nice to Helen when everyone is tired of a 10 year war5. Andromachea. Hector’s wifeb. Her husband is too into her to look at Helen6. Cassandraa. Priam’s daugher, loved by Apollo, gave her the gift of prophecyb. rejected the god, who cursed her: no one would ever believe her truths

Hector (ok, it’s Eric Bana)

B. The best of the Greeks1. Achillesa. immortal except his heelb. golden armorc. greatest Greek warrior2. Agamemnona. King of Mycenaeb. Leader of the Greeksc. bossy, proud, unreasonable3. Menelausa. King of Spartab. Helen’s husbandc. Agamemnon’s brother

4. Odysseusa. King of Ithacab. Crafty, the smartest hero5. Ajaxa. crazy strongb. fiercest warrior

  6. Protesilaus a. first to land onTroyb. Why is this a big deal? c. After his death

Leaders for the Greeks

C. Two greatest warriors knew they would die

Agamemnon and Menelaus

Thetis dips Achilles in the Styx

D. The Women of the Trojan War1. Nine-year battle

a. Iliad begins in the 10th year of the warb. Literary technique known as in medias res

2. Achilles and Agamemnon butt heads over captive women:3. Chryseis

a. Agamemnon captured herb. Her dad is a priest of Apollo, and he begs her releasec. Agamemnon refusesd. Divine retribution:e. Achilles calls a conference and brings in Calchas, a

soothsayerf. The verdict: Chryseis must be returnedg. Agamemnon’s pride is wounded; he is furious

4. Briseisa. Achilles captured herb. When forced to give up Chryseis, Agamemnon takes

Briseis from Achillesc. Achilles is furious: he drops out of the war, stays in his

tentd. Greeks begin to lose the war

Woman Trouble

Briseis is taken to Agamemnon

E. The gods take sides1. Lining up for the Trojans:

a. Aphrodite: Paris picked herb. Ares: always sides with his girlfriendc. Apollo: fond of Hector, angry with the Greeks

over Chryseisd. Artemis: always sides with her twine. Zeus: supposed to be neutral, but favors Troy

anyway2. On the Greek side:

a. Hera: woman scorned syndromeb. Athena: same conditionc. Poseidon: Greeks are a seagoing culture

3. Thetis pushes Zeus to help Troya. Greeks can’t win without Achillesb. Zeus sends Agamemnon a lying dream, telling

him to attackc. fierce battle ensues

The Super Bowl of the Gods

Entertaining the Gods

F. Menelaus v. Paris1. A clearing where the two fight2. Honor dictates no interference3. Paris strikes, Menelaus deflects; Menelaus’ sword doesn’t wound Paris4. Menelaus’ sword breaks for no reason5. Menelaus attacks Paris,6. Aphrodite intervenes, takes Paris away7. Menelaus hunts Paris among the Trojans—they want to give him up;

can’t find him8. Agamemnon says Menelaus won, so Helen should be returned9. Athena tricks a Trojan into breaking a truce, and the battle is on again

G. Aphrodite and Ares are humiliated1. Aeneas injured2. Hera chases Ares away

Fighting over Helen

Menelaus, Paris, Aphrodite, Ares